What's It Worth?
by sufinprincess
Summary: Already ten-years-old, Ásdís has resigned herself to a life of solitude, save for her older sister, Kristin. Then Ásdís meets Jaana. But Jaana isn't quite normal—she's a magical girl. And Ásdís wants to be one too. (Nyordics. PMMM-style Magical Girl AU.)


**PMMM-type Magical Girl AU. Other Nordics will appear later.**

Shoulder-length blonde hair, pale, but not to Ásdís's extent. Fairly pale skin, with freckles across her cheeks. Too far to tell her eye color, but it appeared to be dark. She was a bit plump, but fortunately she wasn't one who wore her school uniform too tight. She was sitting alone on a bench at recess which meant she had no friends, but she didn't seem fazed. She appeared to be content to stare into space.

Ásdís had never seen her before.

She was probably new, Ásdís decided, but she definitely wasn't in Ásdís's class. Was she in one of the other fifth grade classes? Ásdís would have been tempted to think she was even younger, had this not been the middle school and thus only fifth through eighth graders. She had to be a fifth grader, Ásdís was sure. The only problem was deciding which class.

The girl seemed to realize she was looking at her. "Hi!" she called in a cheerful voice.

At this point, Ásdís realized it would be rude to not reply. Still, she couldn't help but shrink away a bit. Ásdís didn't really have friends. She had tried making them when she was younger, but no one had ever seemed to pay much attention to her. Eventually, she had just settled into this pattern of watching those around her. It unnerved most. Her sister told her that she needed to find a better hobby or make a friend.

Her sister was her idol. Her words stirred. Ásdís stepped forward and took a seat on the bench beside her.

"Ásdís…" she mumbled.

The girl raised an eyebrow, smile still present on her face.

"Ásdís Eriksdóttir. That's my name."

The girl grinned. "Oh!" she said. "I see! I'm Jaana Väinämöinen."

Ásdís nodded. She played with the bow of her uniform. "What class are you in?"

"Ms. Bonnefoy's!" Jaana answered cheerily.

Ásdís paused. That was her sister's class. That meant Jaana had to be a seventh grader. "I thought you were younger," said Ásdís. Jaana was silent for a moment. Ásdís couldn't help but wonder if she said something wrong.

Jaana laughed. "I know I look young."

"I've never seen you before," Ásdís said.

Jaana grinned and replied, "I just moved here a month ago. I only started school on Monday though. It took time to unpack and stuff."

"I see," said Ásdís.

Jaana asked, "What grade are you in?"

"Fifth."

"Oh! You're a lot younger than I thought you were." Jaana giggled. "I guess we both were wrong."

Ásdís nodded. "My sister is in your class."

Jaana raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's her name?"

"Kristin."

Jaana was pensive. "I think I remember her. Maybe I should talk to her then, if you're so nice!"

Ásdís shrugged. She wondered if Jaana talked to Kristin, that would mean that Jaana would leave her behind. It got quiet. The two looked at each other shyly.

The whistle blew. It was time to go in. Jaana jumped up.

"I have to go. Let's talk tomorrow, okay?"

Ásdís thought she made a friend.

* * *

Ásdís walked home alone. The seventh and eighth graders left twenty minutes before the younger students. Ásdís didn't know why. Kristin had explained it to her at one point, but she tuned her out. Kristin would have waited for her, but the school had a strict policy about students staying on campus and she was forced to go home. There weren't many other kids in their neighborhood, much to Kristin's dismay, so there was no one to escort Ásdís home. Ásdís was content with that, normally. Now, she kind of wished Jaana could walk with her. It didn't matter anyway. Jaana was in Kristin's grade. They'd be the ones to walk home together.

Ásdís walked up the steps to the door and pulled out her key. She quickly turned the knob and let herself in.

"Kristin?"

Her older sister was in the kitchen, tossing things together rapidly. Her long hair was pulled back in a strange-looking (but somehow pretty) bun of sorts. Ásdís was too far away to see what she was making, but she was sure it would be wonderful. She leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen and slipped her schoolbag from her shoulder to the floor. It fell with a thud from all of the books. Kristin's bag was sitting neatly in a chair.

"Come here," Kristin beckoned. Ásdís obeyed. She wished she was more like Kristin. Kristin was strikingly beautiful. She had a gorgeous voice. Her demeanor was always calm and contained. She wore beautiful clothes and she had many talents. Everyone loved her. Kristin was_ perfect_.

Kristin pushed a cutting board, along with carrots and a knife, towards Ásdís. "Cut those up," she said. When Ásdís didn't move, Kristin raised an eyebrow. "You can do that, right? You're old enough?"

Ásdís nodded. "Ye—"

"Never mind," Kristin said. "I'll do it. You can go work on homework."

"But I want to help," Ásdís protested.

Kristin shook her head. Ásdís knew that there was no point in arguing. She knew that Kristin had made up her mind and, since they were the only ones home, she was in charge. Ásdís slunk out of the room and grabbed her bag from the floor. She walked to the table and sat down as she began to dig out her math book.

"Don't you have homework?" Ásdís asked.

"I did it at school," answered Kristin blithely.

Hm. Ásdís frowned. If only she was more like her sister.

She asked, "When will Mamma be home?" even though she knew it wouldn't be for a while.

Ásdís heard a few clinks and clanks from the kitchen and then Kristin appeared in the doorway. "After dinner," she said and she sat down at the table as well.

"I thought you said you didn't have homework." Ásdís gave her a look.

Kristin seemed as if she would smile, but then she didn't. "I don't. I'm going to sit in here and read." As if to prove her point, she pulled out a large book—probably some fancy classic, Ásdís thought—and shook it.

Ásdís turned back to her homework. Dinner was ready before she finished. The sisters ate together and then Kristin told Ásdís to finish her homework. Their mother arrived a little later. Kristin was then allowed to go to her room. When Ásdís finished her homework, she did as well. She considered asking Kristin to play with her but decided against it. She played alone until bedtime.

It was their normal routine.

* * *

The next day wasn't very good. Ásdís considered approaching Jaana during recess, but Jaana hadn't looked very well and she was kind emitting a hostile aura. So Ásdís took to her normal pastime. In the afternoon, she received a message that Kristin was staying after school for an important club meeting. (Ásdís never remembered what club it was.) That meant it would be Ásdís's job to prepare dinner. Something simple, Kristin told her. No oven, no stove, no knives.

That was one thing that frustrated Ásdís about her sister. She was so stubborn. Everything had to be done _her_way. Ásdís was still a baby in Kristin's eyes so that meant she wasn't allowed to do anything. This infuriated Ásdís so much that she stormed home glaring at the ground and hardly noticing anything around her.

Until she tripped.

Ásdís fell to the sidewalk on her knees. She turned over to sit on her butt and she looked over her legs. She had scrapes on both, but the right was worse than the left. Blood dripped down the side of her legs, but Ásdís didn't have any bandages.

"_Hello_."

Ásdís looked up. There didn't appear to be anyone nearby. All that was there was a cute, fluffy, white… animal thing.

"_Your name is Ásdís, correct?_"

"Who's there?" Ásdís called. Her voice trembled and her hands shook. Why today? Any other day she could have hurriedly run home to Kristin, but now Kristin was too far away.

The animal thing stepped forward and crawled into Ásdís's lap. "_I am Kyubey. And I have an offer for you._"

Ásdís was quiet for a moment. "Are… you the thing that's speaking?" she asked the animal in her lap.

"_I am. Ásdís, there is no need for you to speak aloud. I am communicating to you telepathically. You may speak to me the same way._" Kyubey waved its tail a bit and snuggled into Ásdís. Ásdís picked it up and held it close.

She concentrated. "_Like this?_"

"_Yes!_" Kyubey hopped out of her arms and trotted across the ground. "_Follow me please_." Then it hurried to the back of a house—one that had been on sale for a long time—and out of sight. Ásdís stood still for a moment. She couldn't think of anything else to do so she followed.

As she came to the other side, she saw Jaana leaning against the house. She furrowed her eyebrows and then paused to glance over her attire. Jaana had a circlet with a beautiful blue gem around her head. It was lovely but most definitely odd. And that was just the start. She wore a cloak and weird dress. The only thing remotely normal was her boots.

Then Ásdís noticed the gun.

"Jaana?" she called nervously.

Jaana looked up at her. Then she looked at Kyubey. Something seemed to click and she smiled. There was a flash and then Jaana was in her normal clothes. She removed her ring and it turned into an egg-shaped object. Jaana lifted her other hand and knocked a dark object against the egg. Then she tossed it to Kyubey, who ate it. The egg turned back into a ring and Jaana slipped it on her finger.

"_Jaana_," said Kyubey, "_Ásdís will be your new partner_."

Jaana raised an eyebrow. "_Have you asked her yet?_"

"_No, but I'm sure she will accept_!"

Ásdís was frightened. "_Accept?_"

Jaana stood up. She looked remarkably better than she had at recess. "Ásdís, is there a place where we can talk privately? Or would you rather come to my apartment?"

Ásdís said, "Um… My sister isn't home. And I don't think she will be for a while."

Jaana smiled. "Good. Lead the way then."

Ásdís did. They hurried and she slammed the door once they came inside. Ásdís belatedly wondered if Jaana would look down on her home. She looked over at the older girl, but she showed no signs of condescension.

"May I sit?" Jaana asked. Ásdís nodded. They both took a spot around the table. Kyubey clawed at one of the legs. Jaana lifted it up. Kyubey pattered across the top for a moment. Then it turned and looked at Ásdís.

"_Ásdís, I would like for you to become a magical girl and assist Jaana in protecting this city_."

Ásdís blinked.

Jaana laughed awkwardly. "Ah," she began, "I think first we should explain what a magical girl is, Kyubey."

Kyubey turned its head. "_Right. They're not as common here, are they, Jaana?_"

"No." Jaana smiled at Ásdís. "You see, there are these things called witches. They put grief into people's hearts. They make them sad and depressed and can even cause suicides."

Ásdís frowned.

"Magical girls fight them and defeat them. That's kind of the job, you see. We go inside a barrier—where the witch hides—and track them down. Then we fight. And if you become a magical girl, you get a wish! Simple enough, right?" Jaana asked.

Ásdís was silent. Kyubey stared.

"_Jaana, that's a terrible explanation._

"_Everything she said is true, of course, but she's forgotten a lot of things. Jaana, show her your Soul Gem_," Kyubey ordered.

"Oh!" Jaana took off her ring. The egg reappeared. It seemed to be the same gem that been on Jaana's circlet. "This is a Soul Gem. It's kind of the center of the magic. When you use magic, it darkens a little. To cleanse it and regain power, you have to clean it with a Grief Seed.

"Oh! Grief Seeds are sometimes left behind by witches. Kyubey gets rid of them." Jaana looked fondly at the animal. "Is there anything else we should say?"

"_Let me handle it, Jaana._" Kyubey turned its gaze back to Ásdís. "_You see, only certain girls can become magical girls. That's why we need your help. Your city is overrun by witches and Jaana can't do it by herself anymore. We need you to make a contract and become a magical girl._"

Ásdís opened her mouth. "I…"

Jaana hurriedly shook her hands. "Don't feel like you have to, of course. Kyubey can always find someone else. I'm sure I'll be able to hold out on my own a little longer."

"_But it would be great to have your help_."

Jaana shot Kyubey a look.

Ásdís regained her voice. "You said something about a wish?"

Kyubey nodded. "_As payment for dedicating your life, you will be able to make any wish you want!_"

"Choose wisely," warned Jaana. "And remember that being a magical girl is dangerous. So don't jump into this."

Ásdís was quiet for a moment. "What's being a magical girl like?" she asked.

Jaana bit her lip. "Have you ever seen Sailor Moon? Or Cardcaptor Sakura? Or any show like that?"

Ásdís nodded.

"It's kind of like that. But not quite. I think it's fun," Jaana confessed. She looked at the time. "I'd better go home. I still have homework to do. Why don't you think about it overnight? Kyubey can wait until tomorrow to get an answer."

Kyubey seemed to sigh reluctantly. "_If you need time to think_…"

Jaana rolled her eyes. "You're coming to my house tonight, Kyubey. I don't want you to bother Ásdís while she's thinking." She pulled her bag over her shoulder and scooped Kyubey into her arms. Then she looked straight as Ásdís. "We can talk a little at recess. I hope you'll have made your decision by then. Think carefully about your wish. Bye!"

Jaana opened the door and skipped out. It slammed shut behind her. Ásdís was left shell shocked at the table.

* * *

Kristin came home and scolded Ásdís for not having dinner ready. Then she softened and said she knew she wasn't ready for that responsibility and she was sorry for having placed it on Ásdís. Once again, Ásdís wished she was more like her sister.

When she went to bed, she had already decided.

* * *

Ásdís saw Jaana sitting on the same bench they'd first met. Kyubey was in her lap. Jaana was twirling her hair.

"Won't you get in trouble for having a pet at school?" Ásdís asked.

"_No one can see me,_" Kyubey assured her. "_Just you two_." Ásdís looked around. It appeared to be true enough.

"_Also, we can all communicate telepathically. See? It will even work in class! So we can talk there!_" Jaana exclaimed. She clapped her hands together.

Kyubey waved its tail. "_But it will only last if you become a magical girl._"

Ásdís crossed her legs and pulled at her skirt. "_Jaana, do you mind if I make my contract alone?_"

Jaana shook her head. "That's usually the way it's done anyway," she said. "Do you have a good wish picked out?"

"Yes," Ásdís replied without revealing anything.

Jaana seemed disappointed that Ásdís didn't tell her. She excused herself and walked around the playground.

Ásdís looked at Kyubey.

"_What's your wish?_"

"_I wish that I was popular._"


End file.
